Since 1980, the LCMS has been holding National Youth Gatherings for Lutheran youth to explore, celebrate and meet others in the same faith. With over 25,000 people, we are able to worship together for five days. Here are some things you'll understand if you've ever attended a NYG.
1. Let’s start off with the backpacks.
Where else would there be thousands of backpacks? In my house we have an assortment of colored backpacks; green, yellow, orange, blue, light blue. There is literally a pile of 25,000 backpacks on the ground in the convention center before the gathering starts and my biggest regret this year is that I did not get a picture of me on top of them.
2. The heat.
Let’s do some quick math. 25,000 youth + 90 degree weather + 80 percent humidity + walking upwards of five miles a day + those backpacks I was talking about = intense back sweat and some pretty nasty body odor. But hey, we’re all friends here.
3. The people.
One of the coolest experiences of the NYG is seeing groups of youth walk down the streets of the city and thinking, “Those right there, those are Lutherans.” So many high fives. Starting conversations with people while waiting to cross the street is also an amazing thing. Especially because all Lutherans have some sort of connection. A girl I talked to on the way to the Superdome goes to the same church my friend from college does. Also you get to see all those friends you haven’t seen in forever. I saw my first DCE from when I was five, I saw one of my favorite DCE interns ever, I got to see the longest DCE I’ve ever had and who has known me since I was 11, I saw my sister, my youth group, people who used to go to my church…you get the point.
4. The struggle for food.
You put 25,000+ people in a city and of course everyone wants to go to the same place for dinner. It can take an hour or two before you even get seated. If you find a place that has no line, you feel like something is wrong.
5. The mass events.
Putting a bunch of Lutherans together and filling up more than half of the Super Dome is a great idea. Everyone knows the hymns, everyone knows the Apostles Creed, everyone knows Jeffrey Meinz. Hardly anyone worships with their hands up, instead we keep our hands in our pockets. I have to say, though, this might be one of the only events that Lutherans go to that they rush to sit in the front.
6. The convention center.
The problem with the convention center is that you don’t have time to do everything. There are so many sessions and so many activities that it’s impossible to make it to every single thing you want to do. Especially when some sessions have a line for a mile to get in. I mean, it’s great that all these people want to hear about this topic but let me in first because I want to hear about it more, amirite?
7. No sleep.
Especially for YAVs and CLBS. It’s two weeks past the gathering and I’m still trying to catch up on the little sleep I got in New Orleans.
8. That feeling of knowing you aren’t alone.
No matter how small your youth group or your church is, the Youth Gathering is an amazing time of seeing that there are more people who believe the same things you do. Singing "In Christ Alone" and getting chills because of the mass voices singing together. Taking communion with all 25,000 of you. Hearing the testimonies of people who might be going through something similar to what you are. The experience is once in a lifetime (more like once in three years, actually).
And the Skit Guys. Can’t forget the Skit Guys.
